PERAN TEMAN SEBAYA DALAM PEMBENTUKAN IDENTITAS SOSIAL SISWA KELAS X SMA DI KOTA PALANGKA RAYA

Abstract

Peer relationships play an important role in adolescents’ social development, particularly in shaping their social identity, behavior, and ability to adapt to the school environment. This study aims to analyze the role of peers in the formation of social identity among Grade X senior high school students in Palangka Raya City. A quantitative approach with a survey design was employed. The study involved 300 Grade X students from five public senior high schools in Palangka Raya City, selected using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The findings indicate that peer relationships play an important role in students’ social identity formation. Group identity emerged as the most prominent indicator, reported by 240 students (80%), followed by emotional support by 225 students (75%), adaptive behavior by 216 students (72%), social interaction by 210 students (70%), character formation by 204 students (68%), and social acceptance by 195 students (65%). These findings suggest that peers function not only as sources of emotional support but also as important agents of socialization that contribute to students’ understanding of social norms, development of personal values, sense of group belonging, and adaptation to the school environment. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of creating a positive peer environment in schools to support healthy social identity development among adolescents. Schools are therefore encouraged to strengthen collaborative learning, peer mentoring, extracurricular activities, and other peer-based programs that promote positive social interaction and prosocial behavior.